It's Always the Same, (and That's a Good Thing!)

We're Thankful for Our Family, Friends and Our Stuff

(Whether we're three-years-old, or four, or even much, much older.)

(Above:  Kitah Gimmel, all of us, all together.)

 (Above:  Morah Susan's child-friendly Thanksgiving table, awaiting the youngest grandchildren.  Below:  Taking a walk in Mason Mill Park on Thanksgiving Day, just enjoying the neighborhood. Morahs are grateful for their families, and for the more material aspects of life, too.)

     Last week, we asked each child individually,  "What are you thankful for?"  Some of the Kitah Gimmelniks answered right away.  A few children needed time to think.  Some of us needed a further explanation of the question:  what are you happy about, here at school or at home?
    Morahs like to share with Morahs.  So when I told another teacher, "It's always the same answers.  The children are thankful for mommy and daddy and their toys."
    Of course, it's true.  It's also true for adults.  And it is a good thing.  It's a Jewish concept, too, to be grateful for our relationships, as well as for all our bounties.
    What were the children's responses?  What are we thankful for?
Avraham Chaim:  trucks.
Annabel:  playing with Benjamin, Lilly, Mommy and Daddy.
Asher:  my baby sister.
Ben:  toys.
Dalia:  my Mommy and Daddy are here everyday, and I'm happy to be here with my friends.
Eli L:  chocolate in the car, and Mommy and Daddy.
Eli S:  my Mommy and Daddy.
Eliza:  playing house with Dalia, and playing with my brother.
Emmett:  my doggies Bean and Lucy.
Ezra:  my Baca and Grammys came to my house because I have a baby!
Gabi:  eating challah..
Harper:  my birthday coming up, for my sister and me.
Leah:  chocolate in my backpack.
Logan:  my sister Hannah.
Maddy:  playing at my home.
Menny:  Hashem.
Rafi:  playing with my brothers and Mommy and Daddy.
Shane:  Ruby, my Mommy and Daddy and Grams.
Shayan:  playing with my Mommy and Daddy.
Sylvia:  my baby brother.

Enjoy the Thanksgiving Weekend, and Shabbat Shalom!

The Kitah Gimmel Morahs, and all the grateful Kitah Gimmel Yeledim

 

Peer to Peer Parsha in KDH

In IJP teachers and children explore and learn side by side. Teachers can be students and students can be teachers. Families are partners in the IJP experience. 

Every week, a KDH student presents Parsha to the class. This is truly a paradigm of parents, children and teachers working together, an essential ingredient in a Reggio inspired school.

Pearl was brave enough to be the first presenter, the week of Parshat Lech Lecha. Pearl, with her mother observing, told the children the story. Avraham travels through a desert, traveling to Israel, then down to Egypt and back. Hashem tells Avraham that he will have many children, as many as the stars in the Heavens. We are all children of Avraham, our forefather.  Even though Pearl only had to cover one topic, she tried to teach us as much as possible!!! Desert and Galaxy tray activities and art, making walking sticks with branches and yarn kept us busy for a few days. Some of these are hanging up in our classroom now. Pearl connected Parsha to her summer travels to the deserts in the Western United States and told us about the abundance of sand in the desert. 

       

Imagine our excitement the next week when Evan came in on Tuesday with a tent, a handout and snacks! What did that have to do with Parshat Vayera? Avraham lives in a tent with doors on the North, South, East and West, so that people can come in from every direction. He sits outside his tent waiting for travelers who need a place to eat and rest. Evan told us all about Avraham and the mitzvah of Hachnasat Orchim/inviting guests. Evan gave everyone the handout with a question for us to think about, and the opportunity to draw Avraham's tent. Evan served us all cake and drinks, just like Avraham served his guests. Finally, all the children took turns sitting in the tent.Thanks, Evan and Mom and Dad for helping Evan prepare.

Last week was Maddy's turn to teach Parsha. Maddy taught that Avraham asked Eliezer to find a wife for his son,Yitzchak. Rivka, was chosen because she was very kind. She gave water to Eliezer and all of his camels. Do you know how much camels drink? They can drink 30 gallons of water at one time. Eliezer had 10 camels, and Rivka drew water from the well for all of them! Do the math! 

Maddy gave us all the summary with a question, "What have you done that is kind? How did that make you feel? How did that make the person you did if for, feel? Maddy, very kindly, assured us all, "Do not worry if you mess up your drawing. I brought extras."

Each week, we teachers watch in awe as the children teach the Parsha with confidence and poise. Their peers listen intently and take it all in! It is so empowering for the children to be "the teachers."Thank you parents for guiding your children in this endeavor!

Morah Ruth

Morah Sara

Repurposing Recycled Materials in Extended Day

The children have expressed an interest in building since school began in the Fall. In order to encourage and support that interest during outdoor play, boxes and other materials were provided for the children to make structures. 

                                         

Art materials were provided for the children to decorate the boxes and create their own buildings. The children began stacking the boxes to create their own Box City!

                           

After introducing boxes outside, Morah Yachova brought her own recycling to school to be used as art materials. The children took the tissue boxes and other cardboard packaging and began transforming them into masks and sukkahs.  

As the weeks continued the children's interest grew. Washi tape and permanent markers were introduced and new boxes, bottles, and packaging (from the Mora's recycling) were added.

It appeared that the outside play and inside play were converging. The children began to make buildings and structures. We discussed what the children could create by putting their structures together and how the buildings could be stored in the classroom. We did some research online for inspiration.  

The children decided to stack their structures

They are now using low-temperature hot-glue guns (with a Morah's help) to adhere their creations to the structure. 

                                                    Our city continues to grow everyday!
                                Published with love~Morah Jessica and the Extended Day Staff

Falling for Fall

Fall is here! We are embracing fall inside and out by incorporating natural fall materials into our play. Pumpkins and gourds of all shapes and sizes can be found on our discovery table and in our sensory bin. We can explore their colors, textures and other properties by feeling them, rolling them, stacking them or carrying them.

Our sensory bin is filled with fall-related items. Real and pretend leaves, tree trunk pieces and pretend forest animals set the fall scene.

We include as many of the 5 senses as we can in our play. Scented air fresheners bring us the smells of fall.

The best place to be in the fall time is outside, of course! Leaves, leaves everywhere! We can stonmp on them, crush them with our fingers, or throw them up in the air!

Happy fall!